I really didn't want to go to school when I woke up this morning. I knew I'd have to see Joe, especially since we rode to school together. Why did he have to be such a jerk last week? I didn't understand. Is he really that selfish that he would rather live in his content world than let me have a chance at possible happiness? Or maybe he thinks just because he took me on that little trip that it was enough happiness for my entire lifetime. Oh well it's not like I'm gonna be dating JD anytime soon anyway. He's really nice and all, but Ican't really see us...

"I can't believe Joe is turning into one of them," Berna said interrupting the rant going on in my head.

I looked over and saw Joe sitting with Kristine and her friends. Jerby and JD were with them, but they weren't sitting. I'd been spending a little more time with JD this past week. Like I was saying earlier he's nice, but there's something that seems... incompatible about us.

"Good afternoon ladies," JD said as he took a seat next to me and Jerby next to him.

"Decided not to hang out with the popular today?" Berna asked them.

"I thought we were." If we didn't know any better we probably would have believed JD when he said it, but we did know better.

"Anyways," I said to change the subject. "Are you still on the football team?" I asked JD.

"Yeah, I didn't know their practices were so brutal." JD was an athletic guy. He's good at just about every sport he's played, but he didn't join any sports last year. "It's nice to be playing sports again. I was so bored last year without it. No offense guys."

"Offense taken. So anyway," Berna joked as she turned to me and said "Are you really thinking about doing that contest?"

"What contest?" Jerby asked, talking for the first time since he sat down. "What's the prize?"

"It's a singing contest, but I'm not looking forward to winning. I just really want second prize. Second place gets a new laptop and something else I can't remember. I just want the laptop," I explained.

"Where did you hear about this?" Jerby asked.

"It was on the morning announcements this morning." He looked a little confused. "You know, the morning bulletin they show on closed circuit TV every morning? They tell us about upcoming events and stuff."

Jerby still looked confused when he said, "They have the TV on in the morning? I should watch it; maybe I wouldn't be so lost anymore."

JD shook his head before saying. "I know you're good on the guitar, but Ididn't know you were a singer," JD asked. "You're so quiet."

"Can you sing?" Jerby asked. Everyone looked at me and I got nervous all of asudden.

"My mom says I can." I feel really lame right now. Of course mom's gonna say I can, she's my mom, she has to say that kind of stuff.

"Well there's no harm in trying," Berna said giving me a pat on the back.

"I change my mind, I'm not gonna do it." I'm such a chicken.

"No, you should do it," JD said. "I'm sure your mom wouldn't have told you that you're a good singer if she didn't mean it." I just scoffed.

"And besides, isn't this apart of the things you were gonna do?" Berna asked. Immediately after she said that her eyes bugged out a little hoping the guys wouldn't ask about it.

"You have a list of things to do or something?" Jerby asked.

"Umm... yeah. You know to broaden my horizons, try something new, that kind of thing." Good save Jackie, good save.

Just then the bell rang and we all headed to class. It's a bit cliché to be saved by the bell, but I was glad it happened.

--- --- --- ---

A few days later there was more information about the contest. Apparently there were gonna be auditions for the actual contest. I was standing in the hallway reading the flyer on a bulletin board.

All students hoping to take part in the upcoming singing contest must audition. Just you, me, and an instrument or two. Sign your name below by MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 1. There will be a list posted with dates and times of your audition date. If you miss your time slot you will not be able to audition.

Contest takes place on Saturday, September 13 in the auditorium.

There were a couple people already signed up, no one I recognized though.

“Hey.” I turned around startled. It was JD. “Sorry, I didn’t mean to scare you. Where’s Berna? You two are like stuck at the hip.”

“She’s in the bathroom,” I said pointing to the girls’ bathroom door across the hall.

He nodded and looked at the bulletin board to the flyer I was just reading. “So are you gonna sign up?”

“I don’t know. I do have a few more days to make up my mind.”

“Well, do you have a song in mind at least?”

Berna had just walked out of the bathroom. “She’s gonna sing one of her mom’s songs of course.”

JD looked a little confuse so we told him about how I got my biological mom’s old lyric book. “That was cool of Joe to do that. So you gonna sing one of her songs?”

“I don’t know, they’re kinda different and they’re all ballads or something and… I don’t know. I just don’t want people to fall asleep or boo me off the stage.”

We started walking to math class while Berna said, “Jackie I’m sure your mom’s songs are great.” I just scoffed at her. She’s never even read the lyrics. “But," she continued, "if you don’t think they’re good enough go over it with Nick or Kevin.”

“Or Joe,” JD added. We just gave him a yeah-right look. “What? He’s just as musical as his brothers.”

“Where have you been?” Berna asked. JD’s confused look caused her to continue. “Joe’s been spending all his time with Kristine, plus he and Jackie are kinda in a fight.”

“Bernadette,” I said getting her to stop talking.

“You guys are in a fight?” JD asked.

“Yup,” I said making the P pop at the end. “I guess it’s better than having to put up with Kristine right?” JD nodded as we entered class.

The rest of the day passed uneventfully. It was now the end of the day and I was packing my backpack with the books I’d need to do my homework tonight. I was walking passed the bulletin board with the singing contest sign up sheet. I stopped to look at it. There were a couple more signatures than it did in the morning.

“Hey,” someone startled me like this morning. I turned around to see Kevin.

“Either I’m really jumpy today or you and JD need to come up with a better way to say hi.”

“Sorry.”

I turned back to the flyer and said, “Kevin, if I signed up for this contest, would you help me?”

“I didn’t know you sing,” he said. “You any good?”

I turned to look at him with an eyebrow raised. “So you’re only gonna help me if I’m good enough? Some friend you are.”

Kevin just laughed. “I didn’t mean it like that. I mean there’s an audition so if you weren’t good that would save you from embarrassment,” he said jokingly. “I was just wondering.”

“Well, if you help me then you’d find out.”

“Fine I’ll help you.” We turned to head out of school to wait for mom to pick us up in the highlander. “You have a song in mind?”

“I have a few actually. That was part of what I need help with.”

The next day I signed the signup sheet and spend most of the weekend with Kevin as he helped me with my audition song and the song I’m singing for the actual contest… if I actually compete.

Author’s Note: Grr... apparently this sight has a problem with the word cliché... or at least the é. Haha

Anyways, I just wanted to say thank you for reading. I can see that there have been a few people at least viewing the last chapter I’ve posted, so I’m assuming there’s someone coming on and reading them. So to whoever you are… yes you the one sitting in front of the computer screen/laptop, thank you for reading. Haha I hope your silence means you like it. -laugh-